Bestselling Hindi novel 'Banaras Talkies' now in English
New Delhi: The English translation of noted Hindi writer Satya Vyas's bestselling Hindi novel "Banaras Talkies" will hit the bookstands in July, Penguin Random House India (PRHI) announced on Saturday.
The slice-of-life novel, originally published in Hindi in 2015, is translated into English by editor and translator Himadri Agarwal. It will be released under Penguin's 'Ebury Press' imprint.
Pegged as one of India's best campus novels, "Banaras Talkies" follows three friends as they navigate undergraduate college life, plan to steal exam papers, struggle to speak to women and forge friendships that will last a lifetime over bad mess food.
"'Banaras Talkies' is an award-winning Hindi bestseller. This 'hostelgic' fiction has entertained readers in Hindi for years. It's of immense pride to me that we can now reach out to new readers in English through Penguin Random House," Vyas, the award-winning author of five bestselling books, including "Dilli Durbar" and "Chaurasi", said in a statement.
Set in one of India's most vibrant colleges, the Banaras Hindu University, the book aims to capture the struggles, aspirations, and lives of young Indians.
"Translating 'Banaras Talkies' has been a journey of love, laughter, and adventure. I was honoured to translate it, and I can't wait to see what English readers think of the book," said Aggarwal.
According to the publishers, the book has been written with the idiomatic flourish that is the hallmark of Banarasi colloquialism.
"'It is a witty novel that takes readers on a laughter-filled ride back to their college corridors, bantering with friends, conspiring to skip classes, the heartbreaks and lucky successes in love, and the ever-looming pressure of having to one day leave college and get serious about life," said Elizabeth Kuruvilla, executive editor, Ebury Publishing & Vintage, PRHI.
"Banaras Talkies" is currently available for pre-order on all major e-commerce websites.
